UFC on ESPN+ 19 pre-event facts: Joanna Jedrzejczyk brings loaded resume back to strawweight

The UFC makes its return to Florida on Saturday with UFC on ESPN+ 19, which takes place at Amalie Arena in Tampa, with a card that streams entirely on ESPN+.

A key strawweight fight is set to headline the event. Former longtime champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk (15-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC) returns to the weight class she previously ruled for a potential title eliminator with Michelle Waterson (17-6 MMA, 5-2 UFC), who is on the best run of her UFC career.

For more on the numbers behind the card, check below for 50 pre-event facts about UFC on ESPN+ 19.

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Main event

Jedrzejczyk returns to competition for the first time since Dec. 8. The 308-day layoff is the longest of her more than five-year UFC career.

Jedrzejczyk drops to the strawweight division after a one-fight stint at women’s flyweight saw her lose to Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 231 in December.

Jedrzejczyk is 1-3 in her past four fights after starting her career on a 14-fight winning streak.

Jedrzejczyk became the first Polish-born champion in UFC history when she defeated Carla Esparza at UFC 185.

Jedrzejczyk is one of 13 fighters in UFC history to win a belt with an undefeated record.

Jedrzejczyk’s six victories in UFC title fights are tied with Ronda Rousey and Amanda Nunes for most of any female in company history.

Jedrzejczyk competes in her 13th UFC bout, the second most appearances by any female in company history behind Jessica Andrade (15).

Jedrzejczyk’s nine victories in UFC competition are third most of any female in company history behind Nunes (11) and Andrade (11).

Jedrzejczyk’s nine victories in UFC strawweight competition are the most in divisional history.

Jedrzejczyk has out-landed her opponents 1,261-570 in significant strikes over her past 10 UFC appearances.

Jedrzejczyk is one of two fighters in UFC history to land 100 or more significant strikes in six separate fights. Max Holloway also accomplished the feat.

Jedrzejczyk’s 225 significant strikes landed against Andrade at UFC 211 are second most for a UFC title-fight record. Holloway holds the record with 290 landed at UFC 231.

Jedrzejczyk’s 75 leg kicks landed against Andrade at UFC 211 are the single-fight UFC record. She also holds the second highest amount with 70 against Letourneau at UFC 193.

Jedrzejczyk’s three fight-night bonuses for UFC strawweight bouts are tied for third most in divisional history behind Andrade (six) and Rose Namajunas (four).

Waterson’s three-fight UFC winning streak at strawweight is tied for the fourth longest active streak in the division behind Tatiana Suarez (five), Weili Zhang (four) and Yan Xiaonan (four).

Waterson has earned 12 of her 17 career victories by stoppage.

Waterson has completed at least one takedown against six of her seven UFC opponents.

Waterson’s two submission victories in UFC strawweight competition are tied for third most in divisional history behind Namajunas (three) and Cynthia Calvillo (three).

Waterson lands 57.5 percent of her significant strike attempts in UFC strawweight competition, the second best rate in divisional history behind Suarez (65.8 percent).

Co-main event

Cub Swanson (25-11 MMA, 10-7 UFC) competes in his 26th UFC/WEC featherweight bout, the most appearances in combined divisional history.

Swanson’s four-fight losing skid is the longest of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since April 2017.

Swanson’s 15 victories in UFC/WEC featherweight competition are third most in combined divisional history behind Jose Aldo (18) and Holloway (16).

Swanson’s 10 victories in UFC featherweight competition are tied for third most in divisional history behind Holloway (15) and Darren Elkins (13).

Swanson’s past five victories have come by decision. He hasn’t earned a stoppage since July 2013.

Swanson landed 209 significant strikes against Artem Lobov at UFC Fight Night 108 are the second most in a UFC/WEC featherweight bout behind Holloway’s 290 vs. Brian Ortega at UFC 231.

Swanson’s 11 fight-night bonuses for UFC/WEC featherweight bouts are the most in combined divisional history.

Swanson’s seven fight-night bonuses in UFC featherweight bouts are tied with Holloway and Chan Sung Jung for most in divisional history.

Kron Gracie (5-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) became the first Gracie family member since 1994 to earn a UFC victory when he won at UFC on ESPN 1 in February.

Gracie has earned all five of his career victories by submission.

Remaining main card

Mackenzie Dern (7-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) returns to competition for the first time since May 12, 2018. The 508-day layoff is the longest of her more than three-year career.

Dern has earned all four of her career stoppage victories by submission.

Amanda Ribas (7-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) has earned six of her seven career victories by stoppage.

Eryk Anders (12-4 MMA, 4-4 UFC) returns to the UFC middleweight division after a three-fight stint at light heavyweight where he went 1-2.

Gerald Meerschaert (29-11 MMA, 5-3 UFC) has earned 27 of his 29 carer victories by stoppage. That includes all five of his UFC wins.

Meerschaert’s five stoppage victories since 2014 in UFC middleweight competition are tied with Jack Hermansson and Thiago Santos for most in the division.

Meerschaert is one of 17 fighters in UFC history to earn a submission victory by anaconda choke. He accomplished the feat at UFC Fight Night 102.

Preliminary card

Niko Price (13-3 MMA, 5-3 UFC) has earned 12 of his 13 career victories by stoppage. That includes all five of his UFC wins.

Price’s average fight time of 6:00 in UFC welterweight competition is the shortest among active fighters in the weight class.

James Vick (13-4 MMA, 9-4 UFC) moves up to the UFC welterweight division after spending all his previous promotional appearances at lightweight. He hasn’t fought in the weight class since August 2011.

Vick’s three-fight losing skid is the longest of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since February 2018.

Devin Clark (10-3 MMA, 4-3 UFC) has alternated wins and losses over his past five UFC appearances. He was victorious in his most recent bout at UFC on ESPN+ 11 in June.

Clark has earned all four of his UFC victories by decision.

Deiveson Figueiredo (16-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) absorbs 2.15 significant strikes per minute in UFC flyweight competition, the best rate in divisional history.

Figueiredo attempts 2.3 submissions per 15 minutes of fighting in UFC flyweight competition, the highest rate in divisional history.

Tim Elliott (15-8-1 MMA, 4-6 UFC) returns to competition for the first time since Dec. 30, 2017. The 651-day layoff is the longest of his more than 10-year career.

Elliott has alternated wins and losses over his past five fights. He was victorious in his most recent bout at UFC 219 in December 2017.

Elliott is 2-2 since he returned to the UFC for a second stint in December 2016.

Elliott’s 35 takedowns landed in UFC flyweight competition are third most in divisional history behind Demetrious Johnson (58) and Wilson Reis (44).

Elliott lands 64.8 percent of his takedown attempts in UFC flyweight competition, the highest rate in divisional history.

Hector Aldana (4-2 MMA, 0-2 UFC) enters the event on a two-fight losing skid. He hasn’t earned a victory since November 2013.

Lauren Mueller (5-2 MMA, 1-2 UFC) has suffered consecutive losses after starting her career on a five-fight winning streak.

Marlon Vera’s (14-5-1 MMA, 8-4 UFC) four-fight UFC winning streak at bantamweight is tied for the second longest active streak in the division behind Petr Yan (five).

Vera’s six stoppage victories in UFC bantamweight competition are tied for third most in divisional history behind T.J. Dillashaw (eight) and Urijah Faber (seven).

UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript.